Sunday, May 2, 2010
By Nancy Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

A Barking Good Time!

The first annual “Bellmore Barks,” on Sunday, May 2, was a barking good time for all that attended. The Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores did a great job organizing the event, getting a ton of excellent pet vendors and hosting many fun and unique dog activities. The “Four Legged Fashion Show” was huge hit with many owners and their dogs dressed up for the occasion and strutting their stuff down the red carpet. From the pack of Bassett hounds that were dressed for the “Kentucky Dogby,” complete with “dogby” bonnets, to a Hawaiian pooch ready for a lulu or ride on a boat, to the tiniest of decked out pooches. One cutie pie Pit Bull was dressed in the only “Tae Kwon Do” outfit – adorable!

Other activities the dogs and their owners participated in was a game of “musical sit,” (think musical chairs), in which the owners had to walk their dogs around a large square of grass and when the music stopped, the dogs had to sit on a mat. Just like with musical chairs there was not enough mats for all the dogs. This was pretty funny, because the owners kept stopping with their dog on the mat, so not loose, but they had to be nudged along by the announcer, “the music has not stopped folks, keep moving!” I don’t know what the prize was for the winner, but it must have been amazing since the humans seemed to really want to win.

With so many breeds, sizes of dogs and personalities, it was great to see hundreds of dogs gathered in one location having a dog gone good time.

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If you are a resident of Nassau County you know that it is not the most dog friendly place to own a dog. Unfortunately there are not too many parks where you can bring your dog, go for a hike, or socialize with other dog owners. However, the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores recognizes that and this year is offering there very first “Bellmore Barks” on Sunday, May 2nd. They wanted to offer dog owners in the area a fun-filled day to spend with your dog. Held in the Dellamore parking lot, (entrances from Bedford Avenue and Grand Avenue), from 12 – 4pm, the activities at the event will include: a Four-Legged Fashion Show; doggie look a like contest; Fido says; ugliest dog; musical sit, agility; vendors and so much more! The entry fee for dogs is $10 per dog and free for all humans and participants will get complimentary doggie gift bags.

The Chamber is very excited about this event and looking forward to starting this as an annual event for our Four-Legged friends! They are expecting hundreds of dogs and their owners in attendance.

Also if you are interested in adopting a dog, or looking for a new friend, the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter will have adoptable dogs on location.

So if you are a Nassau resident (or Suffolk!), head over to Bellmore with your well behaved pup and enjoy the day of festivities made just for you, your family and of course your dog!

To find out more, check out there website http://www.bellmorechamber.com

April 30, 2010
By Susan Chamberlain of 14KaratParrot

There are valid arguments for and against clipping the flight feathers of pet birds. I have shared my home with pet birds for 30 years, and in my opinion, clipping the flight feathers is an important safety precaution.

The typical home is fraught with dangers to pet birds. They may be seriously or fatally injured by flying into walls, windows, mirrors, ceiling fans or other objects. Open toilets, pans of cooking food, uncovered fish tanks and houseplants pose obvious dangers to birds that may land on or in them. In multi-bird households, dangerous altercations between birds can be avoided by limiting flight.

Escapes occur year round. Read the lost and found ads on the ‘net or in any local newspaper. It is heartbreaking to hear from a person whose bird has just flown out an open door or window, or even off the person’s shoulder. Escaped birds face intolerable weather conditions, predatory birds and animals, traffic, and other insurmountable obstacles. Most will be unable to forage for food because they will not know what to look for in the wild. Some hardy birds survive and form feral colonies, as have the Quaker parakeets on the east coast and the conures in San Francisco. Most escaped pet birds, however, face an unfortunate fate.

Proper clipping does not injure the bird in any way. Whether or not people elect to clip their bird’s flight feathers is a personal decision, but extra safety precautions must be taken with non-clipped birds. For starters, turn off ceiling fans when birds are at liberty, use carriers when taking birds out of the house and monitor the opening and closing of exterior doors and windows.

Most pet birds do not seem to suffer psychological damage from having their flight feathers trimmed. Many enjoy close relationships with their human companions and their preferred mode of transportation is on a shoulder.

Small birds that are confined to cages or aviaries and have limited contact with humans are in most cases, best left flighted. Canaries, budgies, lovebirds and finches all enjoy flying to and fro in spacious enclosures. People who are lucky enough to have spacious aviaries for larger birds may also wish to leave their birds flighted, but they should be aware of household dangers and take proper precautions against escape. If you are not experienced and adept at clipping your bird’s flight feathers, have your veterinarian, pet shop professional or bird groomer do the job.

April 30, 2010
By Pamela Fitzpatrick of YourDogWalkers, shihtzu58@optonline.net

REASONS TO CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL PETSITTER

Planning your summer vacation or next business trip? Pets are part of our family-it can be very stressful finding someone responsible to care for them if you can’t be there. Consider using a professional petsitter to watch your pet while you’re away.

A good petsitter will spend quality time with your pets, giving them attention, exercise, while monitoring their general health and well being. Petsitters usually include bringing in mail and newspapers, watering plants, rotating lights as part of their service –giving your house a “lived in “look.

But just because someone calls themselves a petsitter doesn’t mean they are qualified to do the job.

A professional petsitter is a qualified, experienced individual paid to care for your pet-dogs, cats, fish, birds, and small animals- in your home without subjecting your pet to the stress of a kennel environment.

By staying home, your pet remains in the environment they know best and are most comfortable in.

Pets continue their regular diet and routine and get personalized attention while you’re away. You can feel secure knowing that your pet is well taken care of without burdening neighbors and friends with the responsibility.

Next time you travel, get the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your pet is being cared for by a professional!

It’s important to learn all you can about a prospective petsitters’ qualifications and services. Before selecting a petsitter, interview the candidates over the phone or at your home. Find out the following:

• Can the pet sitter provide written proof of commercial liability insurance? Are they bonded?
• What experience and training do they have?
• Are they members of professional organizations such as PetSitters International?
• Is the petsitter associated with a veterinarian who can provide emergency services?
• What will happen if the petsitter experiences car trouble or becomes ill? Is there a backup?
• How will your petsitter confirm that you have returned home?

A reputable petsitter should always gladly provide contact information for other clients as references.
Even if you like what you hear during the interview, it’s critical to have the person you choose come to your home in advance of your trip to meet your pet and see the environment. Watch how they interact with your pet—does your pet seem comfortable with the person? If the visit goes well, you might want to start by hiring the petsitter to care for your pet during a short trip, such as a weekend excursion. That way, you can work out any problems before leaving your beloved pet in a sitter’s care for longer periods.

The petsitter should always ask for lots of details about your pet…….. You can help them by providing information about their likes, dislikes, fears, habits, medical conditions, medications, and routines.

Things to keep in mind:

• Make reservations early, especially during holidays.
• Ensure your pet is well socialized and allows strangers to handle him.
• Affix current identification tags to your pet’s collar.
• Maintain current vaccinations for your pet.
• Leave clear instructions detailing specific pet-care responsibilities and emergency contact information, including how to reach you and your veterinarian.
• Leave pet food and supplies in one place. Make sure you have enough for to last the length of your trip.
• Leave a local contact number: designate a friend, neighbor, or relative as a backup. Leave an extra house key with that person in case of emergency.
• Show the petsitter your home’s important safety features such as the security alarms, lights, and heat/water shutoffs

Remember to bring your petsitter’s phone number or email address with you when you go in case your plans change—or you just want to find out how everyone is doing. If you have internet access or a Smartphone, ask if your petsitter does as well.

April 30, 2010
By Nancy Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Welcome to LIPetPlace.com! The first and only website dedicated to all pets, all Long Island – all the time! This interactive, fun and exciting website will bring you – as the pet owner -tons of articles on pet care, products, pet health, best pet places/boutiques, fun photos and so much more! Best yet, everything is contributed or written by our very own local Long Island Pet experts. We have been looking for an outlet to feature everything about pets from scales to feathers and hooves to paws on LI and nobody was offering this, so LIPetPlace.com was born!!

As the Founder of Long Island Pet Professionals, uniting the pet community on a professional level over the past year and a half, has been truly amazing –we have incredible members, and our community is stronger than ever before. We are continue to grow, offer services for pet professionals and have fabulous networking events! However, we wanted to reach out to our pet loving and owning community, that’s you, and offer our expertise, knowledge and write about what we all love most, our pets and Long Island!

LIPetPlace.com in conjunction with Long Island Pet Professionals will also still be brining you all LI Pet Events, in our weekly newsletter – which will now land in your inbox on Wednesday mornings, instead of Fridays. If you are not already getting this newsletter, it is a must have, must read for all pet owners here on LI. You can subscribe right here on LIPetPlace.com or go to http://www.longislandpetprofessionals.com/weekly-pet-event-email-blast/ to subscribe and learn more about the current contest.

Oh yea and the newsletter is absolutely free, thanks to our amazing sponsors!

Many additions will be added to LIPetPlace.com over the next few months, you don’t want to miss a thing. It’s very exciting as this never before website will cater to our pet owners here on our beautiful island.

Come meet us at our amazing upcoming “Launch Tour” across Long Island at various pet or pet friendly locations. We will have giveaways, pets for adoption (working with local non-profit animal rescues) and much more! Dates and locations will be announced shortly so check back with us to see when we’re coming to a town near you!

Do you have a topic you want to learn more about? Email us and let us know, info@LIPetPlace.com